Insect-catcher.



Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET l WITNESSES ATTORNEY W. A. MILLER'.

INSECT CATCHER. lAmmcmmz man MN. 23.1917.

VPafnented Nv. 6'

1917. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

S E S S E N W W ATTORNEY W. A. MILLER.

INSECT CATCHER. APPLICATION FILED IAN. 23V, I9I7.

1,245,258. Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

3 SHEETS*SHEET 3.

/Z l i nh BY M/I .ATTORNEY WILLIAM A. MILLER, 0F BLONT COUNTY, ALABAMA.

INSECT-GATCHER.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 191 a.

Application filed January 23, 1917. Serial No. 143,920.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the county of Blount, and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Insect-Catchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in agricultural implements, and more particularly to a combined insect catching machine and earth-working implement.

The main object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed, strong, eflicient machine of this character which, while cultivating the plants will simultaneously knock olf and collect any insects thereon and v retain them until they can be removed and destroyed. i

Another object is to provide a machine of this character in which the insect catching apparatus is operated by the travel rof the machine over the ground.

Still another object is to provide a machine of this character which is especially adapted for use in destroying boll` weevil and which will not only trap the insects but will collect the eggs and thus prevent the spread of the pests.

Still another object is to equip a machine of this character with means for preventing the insects from crawling out on the machine or draft lanimals and thereby preventing their escape, said means being also so constructed as to direct the insects dislodged from the plants into the vpath of the apparatus which collects them and conveys them to a suitable retainer.`

`With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides inthe combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described -and claimed, it being `understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents atop plan view ofa machine constructed in accordance with this invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is a transversesection taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail vertical section through a fan taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Y Tn the .embodiment illustrated, a wheeled supporting structure is shown comprising a pair of ground wheels 1 connected by a twopart 'axle 2 on which is supported a vertically and transversely adjustable frame composed of L-shaped members 8 fixed at one end of one arm to the axle 2 and with their other arms l extending toward each other and arranged in lapping relation and each provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures, those in one member registering with ythose in the other tofprovide forthe reception of theY securing bolts 5 whereby these members may be' adjusted from andtoward each other to vary-thepo- Isition of the parts as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Rising from the axle 2 and fixed at one end thereto are'two standards 6 and 7v on which are adjustably mounted two L-shaped bars S and 9, said bars having apertures in the arms thereof which' are engaged with the uprights-6 and 7 to provide for the reception of bolts 10 so that these members may be adjusted vertically in relation to said uprights. The other arms 11 of said members 8 and 9 are arranged in over-lapping relation and provided with longitudinally spaced apertures to receive bolts 12 which connect them in a manner similar to the front bars of the frame to provide for the expansion and contraction transversely thereof.

Standards 13 and 14 rise from the ends of the axle adjacent the wheels 1 and are fixed thereto, carrying at their upper ends fan supporting platforms v15, the opposite ends of which are supported on standards 16 'carried by the uprights 6 and 7 said standards 16 being spaced laterally from the standards 6 and 7 a distance sufficient to provide for the operation between them of gear wheels to be described. Y

A fan casing 17 is mounted on each of the platforms 15 and may be securedthereto by any suitable means, being preferably removably secured in any suitable manner to afford access to the fan. Extending forwardly from `the fan casings 17, one of which ismounted at each side of the machine, are tubes 18 which converge toward their lower ends and carry insect collectingvdevices19, which will be presently described., in detail.

These de vices, asrshown in Figs. land 3 are substantially rectangular in form, although obviously they may be of any other desired configuration and are inclined upwardly from one side toward the other to adapt them to conform to the shape of the row or hill over which they are being operated, this inclination being controlled by the adj ustment of' the devices 19 in the tubes 18 by means of set screws which pass through said tubes and engage sleeves or tubes 21 which are telescopically engaged in the tubes 18 and are carried by the members 19. Flexible sections 22 are arranged between the tubes 21 and the members 19 to adapt them to conform to any unevenness in the rows i or to any obstructing objects which may lie in their path. These members 19, which are open on their lower faces have coarse mesh wire shown at 23 arranged thereover, the mesh of which is about one inch, more or less, and is designed to permit the passage therethrough of the insects, squares, or any kind of worms in connection with which the machine is used and yet prevents sticks and such like obstacles from being drawn up through Ythetubes 18 which would tendv to vclog and interfere with the operation of the apparatus.

Mounted in the casings 17 are rotary fans 24. Each may be constructed with any desired number ot blades which arel shown radiating from an axle 25 journaled' in the opposite walls of the casing 17. This axle 25 projects at one end through one wall of the casing at the inner side thereof and has a pinion 26 fixed thereto, said pinion'meshing with a larger gear 27 carried by the axle 28 revolubly mounted in the uprights 16 and 13 as is clearly shown in Fig. 3. rllhis axle 28 extends through thev upright 13 and carries a `pinion 29 at its outer end which is positioned to mesh with a large gear 30 fixed to the inner face of the wheel 1.' It is understood that these fans and the operating mechanism therefor is the same at both sides of the machine and hence one only will be described in detail.

" From this construction it will be obvious that on the passage of the machine over the ground the turning of the wheels 1, will `through the gears 30 and pinion 29 operj ate the larger gears 27 carried by shafts 28 and through pinion 26 rotate the fans 211 at a very high speed, the speed of the fans Ybeing controlled by the size of the gears employed.

The pinions 29 are leyedto slide on the shafts 28 and are provided at their inner` ends with collars 29, each provided with an annular groove 29". A lever 85 tulcrumed at 8 6 on a bracket 87 carried by the fan casing has a bifurcated end 88 which enters Y,the groove of the collar 29 and is adapted to reciprocate the pinion 29 to throw it into .and .out 0f ,imesh With `the.ealo at the will of the operator so that the fan actuated by the engagement of said pinion with the gear 30 may be thrown into and out of operation as desired. Should the rapid turning of the fans 24 produce a suction so great as to draw up through the collectors19 a large'quantity of dirt, dust and the like,

this may vbe controlled by elevating the members 19 to position them farther away 32 opening through the rear thereof to at'- ford access to the box for raking out, the insects collected, when litris desired to destroy them. Leading fronry the fan casings 17 tof thesesretainersl 31 are passages 33,

each here shown in the form ofv an open`l l mesh tube f ,preferably vconstructed of wire. .These vpassages 33 are designed to conduct the insects from, the fan casings to the retainers31 and being made of wire permits V,any dust. which has collected` during the gatheringof the insects to` pass out to the atmosphere during the rotationot the fans.

`An outwardly opening valve 34 is arranged between each fan casing and the tuber 33 at the upper end thereof which wil-l automaticallydrop on the stoppage of the fanv for any purpose and prevent the insects trapped from crawling back through the tube 33 in the fan casing.' It is to be understood that these valves 34 which are here shown in the form of doors hinged at their upper ends, must be vconstructed of some light material vwhich will be opened by the force of the air passing through the tan and yet will be sufficiently heavy to drop by gravity in closed.l positionwhen .the fan. ceases to operate.

From the above description it will be obvious that these, fans which are located at `opposite, sides of the ,machine are totally s'eparateandindependent of each other and one or the other thereofinay be disconnected Withoutinterfering with the operation of the other, although'o'bviously they are intended to operate in unison tosuck up the insects. from opposite vsides of t-he row of plants being cultivated, said plants. being shown at P in Fig.' 3 and the inclination otl the rows at I., It will also be understood that when the machine is rounding curves that thefan on theinner side of the curve will be thrown out of operation owingto the fact that the wheelV at that side will be substantially stationary while the'fanv on the other side will operate on the turning of the wheel adjacent thereto. When this oc-g curs, the valve 34 of the fanwhich is thrown out of operation w'fll drop into closed position, shown inFig. 4 and thereby cut off the return of the insects through the tube 33 to the fan casing. On the starting up of the fan the valve will immediately open owing to the force of the air drawn in therethrough. v

A tongue T is connected with the frame by means of braces 35 which are secured at one end to the axle at the opposite sides of the machine, said braces converging toward each other and having their front ends flared and curved as shown at 36, the tongue T being disposed between the convex faces of 'said ends and connected thereto by a bolt 37 which passes through longitudinal slots inthe braces and through `the tongue and y has mounted thereon coiled springs 88 and 39 disposed between nuts at the ends of the bolt and the outer faces of the curved ends of the brace, as is shown clearly in Fig. 1. The fiared curved ends of these braces provide for the turning of the tongue when round-V ing curves and fory the following ofthe plows or cultivating implements tobe de-4 scribed in conformation therewith.

Arcuate guides 40 are arranged at opposite sidesof the tongue in advance, of its connection with the braces 35. These guides 40 are carried by the frontof the frame 3 and are designed to permit the turning of the tongue in a manner soon to be described.` These members 40 are mounted onV a casing 40 which is substantially inverted U-shaped in cross section and which is designed to straddle the over-lapping ends of the'frame members 4 and 5 as is shown clearly in Fig. 2. n This casing y40 has threaded studs 40 depending from its lower face and which are designed to pass through apertures in a plate 40b which extends under the lapping members 3 and 4 of the frame 3 and which is secured in place by nuts engaging the studs 40a on the outer face of said plate. This casing is also provided with longitudinally spaced apertures 40c which are designed to receive the bolts which connect the over-lapping frame members 3 and 4 and thus properly position the in advance of the frame 3 isla revoluble f roller 41 which is adjustably mounted in a frame depending from the tongue. This frame is shown secured to opposite sides of v the tongue and comprises vertically disposed laterally spaced bars 42, the free endsy of which extend to a point adjacent the ground and they are provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures which form bearings for journals carried by the ends of the roller 41 so that said roller may be adjusted at any desiredheight from the ground to adapt it for use in connection .squares they v pests.

thereto, may be adjusted at `any desired height by simply disconnecting the journals :thereof from the apertures in which they are placed and positioning them in other apertures of the bars 42 acccrdmg tothe position iniwhich it is desired vto locate the roller.- VThese bars are here shown provided with inwardly off-set arms 43 having outwardly and upwardly projecting extensions 44 located parallel with the arms 42 and which are securedto opposite sides of the tongue T (see Fig. 3). v

, Carried by the tongue T on opposite sides of the roller 41 are two semi-circular guard supportingmembersl 45 and 46, said membersy being in the form of bands secured midway their ends to the upper face ofthe tongue by boltingy or otherwise. These bands may be spaced apart any suitable or desired distance, and, if foundV necessary more than two may be employed, the object thereof being to support a fabric covering 47 which may be'composed of any suitable material such as canvas or the like, and which is in the form of a strip suliicient to y cover the space betweenthe bands 45 and 46 and of alength capable of extending over Vsaid bands with the edges of the strip restplants between the sides oft-he guardwhere ythey will'be gathered up bysuction through the membersl)l which pass over .the ground directly at the rear of said guard.

v It is' well known that boll weevil is especially injurious to cotton vplants owing-to the reason ythat they puncture Vthe squares, which is the technical name, for the buds of the plants, and when they puncturethese deposit therein rtheir eggs which, if4 allowed to remain,'will mature into insects and therebypform additional Hence,it is onel of the main objects in contending with4 thisY insect to collect and destroy the eggs as well as the insects themselves, and this is accomplished by collecting the squares in which the eggs are deposited. When' .these squares have been punctured by the insect they die, `and Adrop off on to the ground, a slight shaking of the VVplant only being necessary'to cause such iso drop off and thisy apparatus is especially designed'- to' y'collect 'these insects and the Ysquares containing their eggs and suck them "up through the tubesjlS into the retainers 31d carriedby the machine from which they 'may be'removed and destroyed in any deslred'manner.

Hence it will be seen 'that by positioning "the insect collecting membersv 19 directly at the rear iof the guard 47 that the insects and the squares knocked from the plants by the passage'k of the' roller 41 thereover will l'be sucked up through the tubes 18' by the i 'suction produced by thev fans 24 during the travel ofthe machine.

To 'provide for the dlsconnection of the fans from their operating mechanism, when V it is desired Iforany reason to throw' them sliding these pinions 29 on out of use, the pinions 29 may be thrown out of mesh with the large gear 30 vcarried 'by the wheel land this is accomplished by the' shafts 28 in the manner hereinbefore described.

Furthermore, when it is not desiredto 'use the fans in the operation of the machine,

thev collecting members 19 may be Vremoved by simply `loosening the set screw 20 vand disconnecting said'members from the tubes In the use of this insect catching appa- 'rat-us, when the machine is vdrawniover the earth withy the draft animalswalking on: opposite sides of the'row of plants from whichthe'i'nsects are toy be removed, the tongue T will be disposed directly over the `l` 4'plants and the guard47 will straddle said plants. "i The roller'41ha's been adjusted according tothe heights of the plants to be "bugged and the collecting 'members 19 so *adjusted thatthey will be positioned just out ofr'c'ontact 'with the rows on opposite `sides of 'the plants as is shown clearly in Fig. 3.l

The machine isthen moved forward which to the ground on 'oppositesides of the plants between them andthe sides'of the' guard 47 The' ycollecting members 19 then following causes" the roller 41 Yto 'agitatc thev plants f'during its passage thereo'ver ywhich agitationis sufficient 'to cause the insects thereon, and the injured squares to drop o and fall closely behind the guard willl suck 'up the insects, squares or worms and pass them up 'fthrough l the'fan casings v1'? down'through the tubesy 33 into the retainers' 31,' from number have4 collected therein to render thisVVV which latter they'may be"r`emov ed'and.`destroyed when desired or whenV a sufficient ypractical. f

The earth-lworking implement constituting se a =partf'ofc this inventionmay be used as a jfcultivator,y as a plow, or a' harrow, according to the wishes ofthe operator and 'to pro- 4 `vide for such uses, the machine is constructedA with semi-circular connecting -members '50 which" are shown disposed at each' side i ,u 5. 4

of the machine at the rear of the axle 2, the ends of said members being rigidly secured to the axle with the c'urved'or bowed portion of the members projecting toward the rear of thefmachine. provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures y51 to provide for the adjustable connection therewith of links as 5,2, which are adjustably engaged with plow carrying bars 53 and-54, said bars and the members connected therewith atv each side of the machine being lexactly the same in `construction and hence one onlywill be described in detail. The "brace bars y35 above referred to are secured 4at their rear ends of the axle adjacent the inner ends of the `members 50 and extend obliquely inward from said members toward the tongue T.

Loosely mounted onthe lower face of the axle 2 are two plow carrying beams 55 and 56, said beams extending in front of andY in the rear of said'axle and `attheir rear being :connected with' the plow carrying bars'53 and 54,. said bars being1 pivotally mounted on said beams as shown at 57 in Fig., 1. The front portions of these beams are made in two pivotally connected sections, the front section 58 thereof being secured to the front portion 3 o f'the'frame 3, one of said beams being secured to one memberof said frame and one to the other, so that when the members of this frame are adjusted toward or away from eachk other, the'beams 55 and 56 will'be correspondingly adjusted.

:The inner ends ofthe bars 53y and 54 are connected with the brace'bars 35 by means `of links as 59 which are adjustably engaged with said bars at: one end land lat their other end with plates 60 having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures Y61 therein to provide for thisadjustment, it being understood that `the `bars Y53 vand V54l which diverge toward. their re'ar ends 4may be brought lcloser together or spacedV farther Vapart accordingy to this adjustment `of the links 59 with ithe` brace 3`5"and thatof the 'links 52 Awith the members 50. A plurality of plows 62 areshown mounted onithe bars 53 and 54, any desired number of which 'may Vbe employed, five being here vshown mounted in `each bar. l'These plows 'are re- `movably mounted on. said bars to provide for varying the number thereof according These'me'mbers 50 are A lso .thereon as indicated bars 64 and 65 have yspaced longitudinally at 6 9 through which tion. These guide straps or keepers the beams or shanks l extend so that the shifting of the bars-53 and 54 will operate to change vthe position of theplows to bring them closer together or space them farther apart at the will of the operator.V It is to be understood that whilea conventionalA herein shown, that any desired form may be` employed according to the work 1t is desiredtodo, said plows 62 being shown detachableV for this purpose.

It will be obviousY and 54 are moved outward away from each other that the `plows carried thereby will be spaced farther apart .and when theyl are-v swung toward yeach other they will be disposed closer together and plished through the agency and 59 abovev described. i

Pedals 71 are shown mounted on the brace bars 35 on which the operators feet are designed to rest and which enable him to exert pressure on'either one or the other of said bars to assist in shifting the position of the lof the links 52 eing obvious that a slight pressure on one or thehother of these pedals will compress the spring 38 or 39 and through the agency of the links 52 and 59 will operate to shift the bar with which thejbra'ce is connected in the manner above described.y i

A seat 72 is supported on thetongue T in the manner usual with implements of this character and is provided with a socket 7 3 at its rear for receiving an umbrella not shown,

and which is held in adjusted position byA A means of a set screw 74.

From the above description it will be obvious thatwhen it is desired touse'this machine for cultivating or plowing with a plurality of hoes or plows, the parts will be positioned as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, but when it is desired to use it for plowing with a single plow such as a middle buster it is desirable that the two beams and 56 be disposed in close proximityl and the lmiddle buster not shown, is secured to they rear end of these combined beams vand the device operated in the usual manner. To accomplish this the links 52 and 59 are detached to permit the bars to be folded inward in close be then applied tothese combined beams 55k and 56'. y

When it is desired to use the machine as an insect catcher only, without employing the earth-working implements, or to throw 'of the plows 62 l form of plow 62 is hat when the bars53 this is accomlows during the turning of the machine, it j these implements out of use during the transportation of the machine from one point to another, this maybe donerby raising the plows outof contactv with the ground by means of hand levers as 75, two of which. 70 are used but one only will be described in detail. This lever is pivoted at one end to a brace bar 76 Vwhich connects the U-shaped frame bar 12 with the front bar 4. A connecting link or bar 77 is connected at one :end with the lever; and at its other end with the plow beams 55, it being understood that a similar construction is arranged lat the'. other side ofl the machine. This bar 77 isprovided,A with a plurality of verticallyy spaced Vapertures 7 8 which are designed to rcceive a locking finger 79 controlled by a` pedal '80. 'j This nger 79 passes through keeper 81, in which said bar 77 vis slidably mounted so-'thatthe bar 7 7 may be lockedl in adjusted position and thereby position the plows 62 at any desired point to provide for removing the plows from the ground'or to adapt them for shallow or deep plowing at the will of the user. This finger l7 9 is spring actuated so that when pressure on the pedal 8O is released the spring shown at 82 will operateto force the finger 4in-J"` wardly into locking engagement with the bar'77'.' I `95 'It will thus bevseen that when the lever,` e 75 is'depressed after having first disengaged the finger 79 therefrom,l the beam 55 or 56 with which it is connected will be moved on its fulcrum 'so that the plow carrying end 100 thereof will be correspondingly raised and vice versa when the lever 7 5 is raised, the plows carried at the other end of the beam will be correspondingly lowered.

vIt is to be understood that while the plowV carrying bars 53j and 54 are shown with their rear ends diverging, they may be reversed in position to dispose their rear ends inward with their front ends diverging in substantially V'-form. To accomplish this, 110 the links 59 are disengaged'from the braces 35 and the links 52 from the members 50 and said links 59 are connected with apertures in the'side members of the frame.

By so constructing and mounting these plow bars, the adjustment thereof may be varied indefinitely, those shown and described being only a few of which the machine is capable. l Y

The vertical adjustment of the frame 12o adapts'the machine lfor use in cultivating plants of different heights7 since this adjust, ment provides for the raising and lowering of the entire structure except the aXle and the wheels, which latter always retain their same` position relative to the ground, and

. serve as a support for the frame which carlike.

tivation, it is to be understood that it may be used in cultivating and bugging various other'plants, such as potatoes, corn and the It is further to be understood that the parts of the machine are constructed of any suitable or desired material.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and of' the method of operation willv Ybe readily.

apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains and while I'have described the principle of operation of the invention together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment`- thereof, Ildesirerto have it understood that fan and casings withV said chambers at-the rear of said casings, conduits leading from the front of said casings and converging toward their free ends, said conduits being extended downwardly, and ,insect collecting feet carried by conduits and adjustably and flexibly connected therewith.

2. In an insect gathering machine, awheel supported structure7 fan casings mounted on said structure and spaced laterally apart, fans mounted in tobe rotated by the movement of the machine over the surface which it traverses, conduits leading from said 'casings and inclined downwardly and forwardly and converging toward each other, substantially rectangular hollow insect collecting devices carried by the lower ends of said conduits with' iiexible members arranged between them to provide for the conformity of said collectors to any unevenness inthe rows or to any obstructing objects which may lie in their path so that their path of movement will not be obstructed. Y

3. In an insect gathering machine,awlieel supported structure, yfans carried by said structure, casings encompassing said fans, collecting chambers disposed below said casings, foraminous pipes connecting said casings with said chambers, and conduits lead-v the lower ends ofv said said casings and connectedl ing from said casings'at points'opposite said* pipe connections,

with their free cn'dsconverging toward eachother and providedv with4A hollow large area and to suclrup theinsects yfrom vthe v said conduits being curved laterally inward and inclined downwardlyf collecting feet-'adapted to extend over a comparatively'` surface over which they are fpassedandfconductjthem through said conduits tol the fanAIV casings.V

4. Inga machine of theclass described'Qa--y wheelv supported frame, fans carriedby said frame and independently operatedl with the turning of the wheels thereof, casings encompassing said fans, conduits leading from thev front of said' casings, land extending forwardly and downwardly' converging-*tocasings,

end with said casings and at theirotherends with said chambers, and; valves'mounted at i the junction of said fancasings andthe foraminous Vpipes and constructedtoropenV when the fans are inmotion and to auto.-r

inatically close when they stop.

5. An insect 'catcher of olubly andv adjustably mounted iny said frame to adaptvthe rollerito be positioned at varying heights for being open at its opposite ends'. 4 nally of the tongue and extending l`onA its, sides to the ground.

in presence of two witnesses.l

VILLIAM` A. MILLER.'

In testimony whereof I affix my, signature' IVitnesses :1

M. E.'JoNEs, M. Ag. OCoNNoR.

Washington, D. CJ

the class described including insect collecting means, 1n combi-f' the form of bands engaging plants of" different sizes, anda guard carried by saidv tongue and housing ysaid roller, -saidr guard? Y longitudi- 

